San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-07-19
TUESDAY, JULY 10. 1887.
SEWERAGE SUPERSEDED.
Alderman Belknap on the Sewerage,
Garbage, Light and Water Cues
tions-Pu Water and
Pure Air

Pure Air.
Col. August Belknap, who has been
absent from the city for two months, re-
turned last week, as was noticed In the
local columns Of this journal at the time.
Yesterday morning a representative OF
the LIGHT found the Col. in his private
office up to his eyes In figures, waited a
brief moment until column was footed
and a courteous welcome extended,
when the question was put direct.
Col, what can you say to the people
OF San Antonio as 10 the results of your
Investigations into the supply OF water,
light and air in the cities Of the north
and east?
The result was an informal talk,
which was not sufficiently ChateCBatiCal
to be given in the 'Orm Of questions and
answers, the substance of which may be
Slammed up as follows:
The Col, who rs alderman at large
for this city has been acting in his ca
pacity as q member of the committee OF
public improvements, said: | nave been
absent two months. During that time |
have visited the cities of Washington,
Albany, New York, Springfield, Mass,
Montpelier, VI, New Haven, PIttsbuTg,
Toledo, Detroit, Chicago and st. Louis.
L have been looking up municipal cor
pOrations and posting myself in city af-
fairs for the benz fit of San Antonio.
About one half OF my time has been
spent In direct and specific examination
Of matters connected with pure light
and pure air. One point eluCidated by
my study was perfect surprise, viz
that cities OF the very best sewerage
AoA hs Ian Of lfr.h
liberia. 1t is now sCOurge almost
amounting to an epidemic in the north.
The result has heen TO Lessen my en-
thusinsm for
THE SEWERAGE SYSTEM.
When left here | was thoroughly en-
thusiastic for system Of sewer
age for San Antonio. | am now
satisfied that garbage furnaces
are the most desirable means of
disposing Of city refuse, aud also,
that within two years all sewerage will
be incenerated (burned). That this Is
: tine coming method am convinced from
this fact-there Is no system of sewer
age, no matter how complete, that does
not emit its fatal gases, more or less;
while in this process of burning, the gas
Is the fuel and this gas with the sub
stance which generates ii is thoroughly
consumed. Another point in It's favor
is its economy, the relative cost Of in
cineTation to sewerage being that of
about one to one hundred in favor Of
the furnace process. / have so thor
oughly studied these systems that all
my well known enthusiasm for sewerage
"has been knocked cold" Instead of
sewers about which we have
aI., so much | shall recommend
patent garbage furnaces such as 1 have
seen in use at the east, the workings of
which 1 have carefully examined, and
with them oemented tanks for the re-
-ptIOn of the sewerage and garbag
bile In Pittsburg | had every oppOr.
nifty of making minute examination
10 the workings of a
PATENT GARBAGE FURNARE
hich was to me a revelation.
At this point the Colonel, who spoke
man who knew whereof he atfir med,
pped to large side table and unfold
a series of plans and drawings, care
Jury prepared and numbered, showing
the operations of the furnace and its
several parts, thereby giving to any in
telligent person with an eye for machin-
cry a very fair idea of the mOdus ope-
randi. Without such diagram it would
be impossible to furnish the LIGHT read
els with buluB lihO a vi hhG
eolOnel's lucid description. This much
may be said. This patent garbage con-
sumner is so arranged that the tanks
obtaining sewerage to be consumed
dumped into the furnace from the
things in the top above the CRATES
otteT Fom the cemented vaults
phse talks by hydraulic pressure.
for the tanks it is dumped through a
ann the tank into the furnace. Here
mreoeived upon the CRATES, which are
scliously cOntrived to spread the sub
c'ce and expose considerable surface
tthe action OF the hot air from
kindled furnace fires. The heat
erates the more volatile gases, which
driven through a series OF coils in
se end of the furnace, forced through
be flames which they feed, greatly in
lensifying the heat, increasing the gen.
erslion Of gas from the garbage, driving
What is not perfectly consumed through
corresponding series of cSils In the
Der end of the furnace add ever re-
ming il to the direct action OF this
adv Ere FER combustion uptll every
rticsl OF gas Is sliminatedland con
med. the whole mass Of sewerage dried
q burned TO ashes. During this pro-